The Greeks: Pub Fare and Plenty of Hospitality

on Haverford Avenue is a mainstay of the Narberth night scene and I have been there a bunch of times for a late-night beer or to catch up with a friend. Since I would be writing a restaurant review, I decided to stop in for lunch and see what the menu was all about. I met up with a girlfriend for a long overdue catch-up session and we sat outside on what can only be described as a perfect afternoon.

Even though it was before noon, I couldn't resist the allure of the Magic Hat #9, so I ordered that. Instead of a bottle it was poured into a plastic cup because they have had one too many bottles break on the concrete. My friend had some ice water and we looked over the menu. 

We started off with the Greek salad which our server kindly had split for us (even though we hadn't asked) and he brought out an entire carafe of the red wine vinaigrette dressing. The salad had iceberg, romaine, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onions and, of course, feta cheese crumbles. The vegetables and greens were fairly fresh and even the split portion was quite generous. A light drizzle of the tangy oil and vinegar dressing and a sprinkling of salt and pepper made the salad taste great.

For our main courses I chose the roast pork sandwich with provolone and long hots and my friend had the crab cake sandwich. My sandwich came with some pork jus, which was not something I had seen before. It did add a nice warm and savory accent to the sandwich. The meat itself was tender but not extremely flavorful. The roast pork sandwich has come to be my favorite emblematic Philly sandwich and I have tried dozens. This was not the best version of the South Philly favorite. 

The crab cake sandwich was fair. It had an extremely large crab cake bursting with crab meat. My friend seemed to enjoy it but I felt as though it had a slightly fishy taste to it. The tartar sauce on the side was creamy and tangy and the cole slaw was a refreshing compliment to the sandwich. Both sandwiches were served with a small amount of French fries which were decent.

The decor of The Greeks is full of dark wood, TVs and dim lighting as would be expected from a neighborhood pub. The outdoor tables (there are only two) had floral and checkerboard tablecloths which added a splash of color. 

The service was outstanding. Our server was courteous, funny, attentive and efficient. We never had to wait long for our food, our drinks or our check. He answered our questions quickly and honestly and made us feel right at home. I would go back just because of what a positive experience he provided. Our server may not have been Greek but he displayed the legendary hospitality the Greeks are known for.

I'm reminded of a story about my brothers and their Greek-American friend in high school. The kid was a straight-up punk and always gave my brothers a hard time with rude comments, crass jokes and other hallmarks of close friendships between teenage boys. My brothers were floored when they went over to his house after school one day. The boy's father insisted that he bring out plates of food, beverages and anything else my brothers might enjoy since they were visitors to their home. The boy did it all begrudgingly and my brothers ate and drank in silence at this amazing show of unparalleled hospitality. That is what I think of when it comes to Greek hospitality and I definitely felt it when I ate at The Greeks.